IF YOU WANT A PURE FLUSHING DOG, CLASSIC BREEDS LIKE DEUTSCHER WACHTELHUND AND SPANIELS ARE A SAFE CHOICE. BUT SMOOTH, LONG, AND WIREHAIRED DACHSHUNDS ARE ALSO EXCELLENT HUNTING COMPANIONS FOR TRACKINGFLUSHING. ALENA STEINBACH EXPLAINS WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN MAKING YOUR DECISION.
Alena Steinbach
What breed can I cope with?
A pointer needs much more exercise than a dachshund.
Alena Steinbach
What do I want to hunt?
Mainly small animals, hoofed game, or wild boar?
Alena Steinbach
Dog or bitch?
You also need to think about whether you want a dog or bitch. If you already have a male dog, it’s not necessarily a good idea to get another one as this could lead to fights.
Alena Steinbach
Which breed do I like in terms of its appearance, size, behavior, and my lifestyle?
Of course, you need to like the look of the dog, but I think a long-haired pointer has no place in a tiny city apartment. Also, think about where to accommodate your future companion when you are out of town.
Think carefully and don’t just follow recommendations from friends or go by outward appearances; study breed information and talk to owners of breeds that interest you.
Alena Steinbach
Where do I mainly hunt?
Do you prefer hunting in mountain forests or among fields and hedgerows? If you often hunt in the mountains or in the snow, a dachshund or a terrier are not ideal. If there are a lot of roads in your hunting area, I wouldn’t recommend a Braque, because these breeds often range many miles ahead of you.
Alena Steinbach
Unleashed or accompanied?
Apart from the classic unleashing of the dog from the stand, which I do, you can also accompany your dog. 90% of the time, I send my dogs out from the raised hide and rarely go with them. Of course, this requires training and behavior that is more related to the handler. It is a case of ensuring that the dogs don’t run miles ahead but stay in a pack around the handler. Here, you more often need dogs that corner wounded boar and keep them in one place as far as they can. When you accompany your dogs, you have the big advantage of being on hand to help your dog, and you share more experiences and successes. It’s up to you to decide which kind of hunting is more fun for you, or is actually feasible.
UP CLOSE
ALENA STEINBACH:
Alena Steinbach, 30, is not just a passionate hunter and dog handler, but also editor of the online hunting magazine WIR JAGEN as well as author of the cookbook Wild Kochen. She enjoys hunting with her four dogs, Labrador Fibi (6), the two Wirehaired Dachshunds Twix and Toffie (4), and the Westphalian Dachsbracke Emma-Otto (5). She equips the dogs with trackers and protective vests.
